Sinan Salie had barely started elementary school when terrorists crashed a plane into the World Trade Center killing his beloved Aunt Rahma, Uncle Mikki, and a would-be cousin. Twenty-one years later, Sinan stood with his wife and three children this past Sunday as his grandmother once again stood before the respectful crowd in front of the Newton 9/11 Memorial, joining the families of the other Newtonians who were lost that day, to share memories of their loved ones so that they would be remembered. Every year, they have mourned. Every day, they remember.
Police Chief Carmichael noted the presence of the children and youth in the crowd this year. From the Newton South High School sophomore who sang the National Anthem to the ten-year-old who recited the Pledge of Allegiance, there was proof that even though not yet been born in 2001, the next generation understands the significance of that day and the gravity of that loss. As each name was read — Mark Bavis, Paige Farley-Hackel, Nicholas Humber, Aaron Jacobs, Stuart Todd Meltzer, Richard Barry Ross, Rahma Salie and Michael Theodoridia and their unborn child, Amy E. Toyen — this generation listened, learned, and mourned the loss of those they would never get to meet, so that they would remember the lesson that history had to teach.
In the spirit of passing the torch to this next generation, Sande Young — the founder of the Newton 9-11 Memorial Committee that built the beautiful granite garden at which the crowd gathered –announced the newly established Newton 9-11 Memorial Scholarship. This scholarship will be awarded in 2023, and each year after that, to a Newton resident who is a rising high school senior at the time of submission (July 1). Scholarships will be awarded at the following September 11 commemoration. Applications and further details can be found at newton9-11.org.
Newton remembers. Newton will continue to remember.
